Traditions
by veronica.toon.7
Summary: Once every year, the Royal Buffalo Wallow takes place, and after her first solo royal duty to oversee the event, Kiara has picked up a tradition for it. What will her parents think about it?


**Okay, I may get some questions and flames by saying this, but I just want to say that I think I like the Lion Guard Kiara better then her Simba's Pride self. In the film, she was free, independent and rebellious, and that can be justified by her overprotective father and his limitations and fears. In the Lion Guard, she's intelligent, respectful, and the best quality, resourceful. I love how she kept trying to see the buffaloes, even when her two companions were lazy and were too absorbed on appearances then appointments. And since it's been awhile since I've done a Lion King story, I decided now would be a good time.**

 **I own nothing. The Lion King/Lion Guard and all its characters and content belong to Disney. I don't own the cover image either.**

 **Enjoy the story!**

* * *

"Okay ladies. Mud me up!"

Instantly, orange-tan fur was covered by streaks and patches of gooey, soft mud. Hairs were rubbed until they became dirty and ragged. Dust was added to muck up the sheen on the lionesses's pelt.

Kiara sighed as Tiifu and Zuri messed her up, all the while giggling. Normally she wouldn't even consider getting this dirty, seeing as the royal family had a reputation to uphold. But today was an exception. The Royal Buffalo Wallow was today and ever since her first solo attendance to the water buffaloes, it had always been with a coat of mud, fur sticking out messily, and all with a smile on her face.

Before she supervised the activities for the large herbivores, the royal family had always appeared to the herd clean and well-presented. For a festivity heavily involving mud, and as had said, it had honestly appeared stuffy to the buffaloes.

Her eyes fluttered close as Tiifu smeared some dirt on her face. Memories of their cubhood came up as Tiifu tried to smear a mud mask on for beauty purposes. A smile graced her lips of the event that had lead her to discover this presentation method.

Getting trapped by a flood around an island on the first time she would ever preside solo over the event. Trying to find a way off the island to get there, only to face obstacles that were harder then they should be, due to the obliviousness and, one might say, vanity of her friends. Still, at the cost of her clean and spiffy appearance, they had successfully made it off the trap and made it in time to the event.

When the matriarch's graciousness of the princess's dedication to the ceremony reached her ears, she had decided that from now on she would prepare for the ceremony in a different way then what was traditionally used.

"There we go. You're as muddy as a warthog," Zuri said after applying the last bit of mud to her paws.

"But not at all smelly as one. More of an," Tiifu paused and sniffed, "earthy smell."

"Well as long as the water buffaloes like it and I look like I'm prepared to partake in the festivities, then I say it's perfect," she replied. Her two friend's startled looks forced her to bite back a snicker.

"But you are not going to, right," Zuri asked, looking appalled at the thought.

"Yeah. What with all the mud and dirt and heavy buffaloes with their sharp horns and hooves and mud," Tiifu added. Their response was a simple eyeroll and a flick of the tail as she turned around and started heading off.

"Well, if I do recall you saying yourselves when we were cubs," a smirk came across her face, "mud does make my fur softer."

* * *

"Kiara. What happened," was the question she immediately got once she came into the sight of her parents. The two quickly rushed over to her and immediately started looking around for injuries.

"Are you hurt," they asked soon afterwards.

She shook her head. "No," she replied, but then began to lean back in surprise as her mother's tongue came out towards her. "Hey," she exclaimed.

"Stay still, Kiara. You're too muddy to completely clean off, but we can at least get the biggest mud clumps off," her mother explained. She quickly backed off a few feet to avoid the bath.

"No, you don't understand. The mud, I put it on me on purpose," she rapidly talked out. The look on her parent's face was priceless.

For many seasons, she had handled the alone, so her parents had not once yet until now seen her appearance when confronting the buffaloes, or even received word of it from anyone.

Her father was the first to break out of his shock and speak first. "Why would you cover yourself in mud? Don't you know we have to attend the Royal Buffalo Wallow today," he asked.

"Yes, I've always attended the covered in mud and messy," she replied, cherishing the even more shocked look on their faces. Before they could speak, she quickly added, "but I have my reasons. Just trust me on this."

Her parents stared with wide eyes at her for a moment more, jaws opened slightly in shock. Finally, they blinked out of their stupor and her father sighed before he spoke again.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Kiara," he said. He then nodded his head behind them. "Come, better not let the buffaloes wait any longer."

* * *

"Your highnesses. It is an honor to see you here and to have you oversee the Royal Buffalo Wallow," Vuruga Vuruga greeted, bowing her head in respect before the royal family. The lions reciprocated the gesture.

"Glad we could make it, Vuruga Vuruga" Simba replied politely. Kiara then stepped up from behind her parents and stood straight before the matriarch, showing off her dirtied figure before her olive green eyes.

"Hello, Vuruga Vuruga," she politely said. Vuruga Vuruga smiled and nodded at the Prideland's princess.

"Why hello, Kiara. Nice to see you again." Her eyes surveyed the lionesses's appearance. "My, my, my, you definitely look prepared for the today," she commented. A wide grin spread across her face.

"Thank you. I always need to look my best for the buffalo's ceremony." Her head twisted back a bit so that her words would not be lost on her parent's ears. "And I know how much it means to the buffaloes this ceremony." Vuruga Vuruga nodded.

"Indeed, and we are gracious for your understanding of the buffaloes traditions." She gave a kind smile her way. "Truly, you are a wise ruler that will bring peace and harmony to the Pridelands as well one day."

She bowed her head in thankfulness. "Thank you, Vuruga Vuruga." Her head then flipped backwards to her father. "Daddy, shall we start the festivities now," she asked. He and her mother quickly shook their heads out of their shocked state before Simba cleared his throat.

"Please, Kiara, take it away," he replied, sending a kind smile her way. A matching one reached him back before she stood tall and looked out onto the herd.

"Let the Royal Buffalo Mud Wallow begin!"

Immediately, joyous snorts, moo's, and brays came up from the herd as the charged and leapt right into the mud pits. Soon, happy buffaloes were rolling around or lying comfortably in the mud. In no time at all, a lioness soon joined right alongside them, getting dirtier and wetter in the damp earth.

As her parents watched their daughter physically partook in the festivities, Vuruga Vuruga came right up beside them.

"Mm, your daughter is quite special. She truly had a deeper understanding of other creatures and is not afraid to partake in their traditions full-heartedly, even though how," she paused, before smirking, "messy it may be for you lions."

A pair of wide red and green eyes quickly focused on her, before coming back to their daughter. Finally, the two rulers looked at each other.

"Well Simba, shall we," Nala asked. A nod came as reply from the king.

"Indeed. It appears that we still have a lot to learn about the Pridelands," he looked behind her at Vuruga Vuruga, "and it's inhabitants." Nala nodded in agreement.

Tan and gold blurs soon ran down the hill and hopped in right alongside their daughter and up to their bellies in mud. The princess roared in laughter, throwing up mud at the two so that they would be as filthy as her. Soon, the royal family was engaged in a mud-lobbing fight as the buffalo matriarch looked down from on top of the hill and smiled.

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 **How many of you guys think that Kiara make it a tradition of muddying herself up to each of the Royal Buffalo Wallows?**

 **I loved the episode where Kiara acts resourceful and proactive and then we also get to see a respectful and kind side of her when actually applying her queenly duties in real life, or real life in their world. To get an episode where she gets a bit of a focus aside from the Lion Guard was just amazing. I hope they continue doing things like this where she gets some development and some positive moments.**

 **Hope you enjoyed reading this. Please leave a review if you liked my story and please feel free to check out some of my other stories. Sincerely, v.t.7**


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